Bajra & Paneer Ladoo (Pearl Millet & Cottage Cheese Ladoo) by Preeti Tamilarasan of

How educating blogging can be, you get to learn and cook dishes from all around the world even when you have not tried or tasted their food before. Another interesting thing that we could learn through blogging is Food Photography, and this person have mastered the art of food photography very well, and I'm sure many of you know this person well, its non other than Preeti Tamilarasan of Indian Kitchen. Now let us see, what she have prepared for us for this Diwali, you might be thinking what Diwali recipe now, buddies its still November for me the celebration is still on. Thank you so much da PT for this wonderful guest post.

Today i'm sharing my 7th guest post for one of my dear blogger friend Karthi from Sumanarthy's Kitchen. We came to know about each other through Facebook and i still can't believe we have known each other for past one year. How soon the time flies by. I always liked her non-veg recipes which resembles my style of cooking. When she asked for a guest post, i was all excited. I took some time and finally came up with the idea of preparing my fav indian sweet "Ladoo" 

Paneer ladoo is made with crumbled paneer and sugar/condensed milk. I replaced sugar with karupatti vellam(palm jaggery), which makes it more healthy. You can also try this with normal jaggery. Lets check the recipe,

Makes 13-14 medium sized Ladoo

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 15-20 mins 

Ingredients :

• 1 cup crumbled cottage cheese (Paneer) – homemade or store-bought
• 8-9 tbsp Bajra Flour (Pearl Millet / Kambu Maavu)
• 1 cup grated palm jaggery (karupatti vellam / palm jaggery)
• 1 tsp cardamom powder

Method :

• Dry roast bajra flour on low flame till nice aroma comes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Grind crumbled paneer in a mixie until smooth. Transfer it to a bowl. Combine jaggery and ¼ cup water in a pan or kadhai. Once it melts down completely, remove from the heat and strain it to remove impurities. Pour it back to pan and switch the flame to low. 

 

• Add cardamom powder and ground paneer. Keep stirring to avoid lumps. Once paneer is completely dissolved with jaggery syrup, add bajra flour little by little. 

 

• Add 1 tbsp at a time and keep stirring the mixture on low flame. Initially the mixture will be sticky. Once it starts leaving the sides of pan, remove from the heat and allow to cool for a minute. 

• Grease your palm with oil or ghee and start making small lemon sized ladoo. Store in an airtight container.

Notes :

You can replace Bajra with Oats or wheat flour. 

 

Peanut Mawa Ladoo by Viji @ Virunthu Unna Vangga

Diwali have been a festival we always look forward in our family because of my uncle, he used to be the one person who kick-starts the Diwali mood in our family. Weeks before he will start asking when are you making cookies and sweets, and he will be in joyous mood throughout.On Diwali eve, my uncle and me would go to market to buy fruits and meat to give out to our neighbors, and its like a tradition every year since I was a small child. The year he passed away in 2011 was the last my family celebrated Diwali, looking at his picture makes me burst into tears, I'm known as someone very strong in the family and I'm their strength all the while, but that year I was the one who made everyone in the family to cry on an auspicious day. Ok, I'm so carried away with my sad story, let me bring you to the Diwali mood, I have someone special to share a wonderful recipe for 2013 Diwali, that's none other than Vijayalakshmi Dharmaraj from Virunthu Unna Vangga. Now let us welcome her with her superb Peanut Ladoo;

Hi friends, am really very happy to be here to present guest post on Arthy akka’s SUMANARTHY’S KITCHEN. I am really unexpected that I will do the guest in the festival season... I accepted her invite immediately, when she asked me for the guest post. We both were introduced in our FB chat through some of our friends. She is so polite, down-to-earth and affectionate... She always call me Kutty J, I love the way of she calls me... I learnt many healthy tips from akka, but I implemented very few ;) because of my laziness... Here you can see more non-vegetarian recipes with good photographs. I love her photographs with lively ingredients.

Coming to the recipe, during the short time, I couldn’t prepare any traditional recipe so this is my quick and delicious recipe for the guest post... You can make it anytime within 15 minutes, after you tasted the ladoo, you will make it again and again, am sure about it... J Here I used peanut butter and instant mawa to prepare the cute balls...

INGREDIENTS

Peanut butter – ½ Cup

Mawa/Khoya – 5 Tbsp (I used *Instant Mawa)

Powder Sugar – ¼ Cup

Cardamom powder – ½ Tsp

*Instant Mawa

Milk Powder – ½ Cup

Water – 2-3 Tbsp

Ghee – ½ Tsp

Mix everything into pliable dough, cover it with cloth and steam it in idli cooker or pressure pan for 10 minutes on medium flame. Cool it completely, crumble and use it the instant mawa.

METHOD

·       Take a wide mixing bowl, add peanut butter and mawa mix it well till combines well, it looks like        bread crumbs.

·       Now add powder sugar and cardamom powder mix it well.

·       Grease your hand with ghee and take small amount and start rolling to make balls.

·       Garnish with cashew nuts or almonds.

·       Serve it with coffee/tea.

NOTE

·       You can use fresh mawa instead of instant one.

·       Add ghee roasted cashews and raisins in the dough before making ladoos.

        HOPE YOU LOVE THE CUTE LADOOS...

THANK YOU SO MUCH ARTHY AKA FOR THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY...

Am really very happy to be here as ARTHY akka’s guest.....

Such a simple yet amazing ladoo isn't it, I'm sure many of you will try making these ladoos at home for Diwali. Do let us know how it turned out for you! Thank you so much Kutty for preparing these delicious ladoos for us. Happy Diwali to you and your family.

Paneer Chocolate Peda by Usha Rani (Mahaslovelyhome)

Diwali is just around the corner, I didn't prepare many things this year, so I have blogger friends sharing on their Diwali sweets and bakes for the month of November. Blogging world have introduced so many good friends in my life, despite the distance of our location we are still keeping in touch and have a little chat every now and then. Today, I have someone who would like to share about herself and her world on blogging. let us see who is that okay;

HAPPY DIWALI READERS,FRIENDS,WELL WISHERS

Hi..I am Usha Rani..Who writes at Mahaslovelyhome..Well, I love eating and at the same time cooking too..More than following the same kind recipes, I  like to try new methods on my own Idea...This year I started working more on blog and at the same I am a busy wife and mother of two little boys..I believe in god and prays to lord shiva specially..MAHA Is an one other name of lord shiva and I choosed it for my kids..Without second thought I created blog name with MAHA..This is a small story behind my blog name..You can find all kind of baking recipes,rice varities and all categories recipes  of daily needed In Mahaslovelyhome. Recently, I started another blog where I share tips for food bloggers called as SOME THING HELPFUL...Your encouraging comments makes me to feel happy and gives more energy to cook and share my Ideas..Hope it continuous for ever..Thank you..

Arthy Suman is a simple,homely girl whom I visited through her blog..I appreciate her interest on cooking and "SUMANARTHYKITCHEN" is one of my most liking blog.I like her Non vegetarian recipes and some of innovative baking recipes too...Even I book marked few and sure will share the results...I also wonders by seeing her patience where she replies to each comment..Recently  In FB I saw her pic in Venisri wedding anniversary album.Love to see the food bloggers and how beautiful when they meets directly..Wish one day I will meet  at least few of our co-bloggers too..After seeing her status "ABOUT GUEST POSTS" in FB I send a message and she replied within seconds..Actually I planned to post this in my blog on DIWALI, but changed the Idea and writing as guest post in her blog. And Iam with double happy to share this recipe in co-blog on festival time.

Thank you so  much for accepting to write a guest post Arthy..I believe,you liked the post and try next If you are Interested..Hope you will..

Once again Personally, 

I WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY AND PEACEFUL DIWALI TO U N UR FAMILY..

ABOUT RECIPE: Ricotta cheese is always in my shopping list and I love to try gravies and sweets with R.C. well,All the co bloggers are busy in festival preparations and their posts tempting me much more and forced to try some thing..While searching fridge, noted this packet and coconut powder and with remaining ingredients created this peda..This is very easy to make and saves your time..You need just 5 INGS and that`s really quick to cook..Try this when you get some paneer in your kitchen and enjoy.

CATEGORY-SWEETS/RICOTTA CHEESE SWEETS/FESTIVAL RECIPES

PREPARATION TIME-10 MINUTES

COOKING TIME-15 MINUTES

WHAT YOU NEED

Ricotta cheese- 300 gms

Sugar-1/2 cup

Cardamom powder-1 tsp

Hershey`s cocoa powder- 2-3 tsps

Desiccated  coconut powder-1/4 cup

HOW TO COOK

Blend Paneer in  mixy jar..

Then heat pan with ghee and add paneer and sir continuously  for 5 minutes in medium flame...

Now add sugar and mix well..You can see some liquid type of consistency..

Keep flame in low and stir without stopping until it thickens..Add in cardamom powder too..

When the time paneer turns tight and hard it will separates from pan...It looks like a ball now and completely dry too..

Once you feel,it is done apply some ghee to plate and keep half of the the paneer dough..

To the remaining paneer add in cocoa and cook for 2 more minutes by mixing every second..Then turn off..

After 5-8 minutes apply some ghee to palms and start making pedas..Take goose berry size plain paneer mix into hands and take the same quantity of choco paneer  mix also..

Combine those and give a shape like PEDA.. (By pressing cookies cutters i got those designs on pedas)..

Yummy Paneer chocolate peda is ready..Serve warm or cold...

MAHAS NOTES

 I ground paneer  directly in the mixy jar..(forgotten removing water from the packet)

So,mine paneer mix is wet for and stirred long time..

If you use store bought ricotta cheese,then drain paneer from water and start grinding.

You can try this fresh home made paneer too..If it looks too thick you can add 1-2 tsps of milk..

Use good quality cocoa powder for best taste.

If you want burphi do like this,cook for few more minutes until it turns dry then spread a paneer layer on plate and on top spread another paneer choco layer and cut into desired shape..After some time separate the slices and serve

You can add some nuts on top for rich look..Try chocolate horlicks powder for a change/if available.

Now isn't that a wonderful sweet for this Diwali? Do try making this Paneer Chocolate Peda for your family and do tell us how it turned out for you !Thank you Usha for sharing such a delectable dish for us today. Happy Diwali to you and your beloved family.

Moong Dal Kozhukattai

Ingredients:
2 cups of raw rice (soaked and drained)
1/2 cup of whole moong dal
1/4 cup of shredded coconut
1/2 cup of sugar (reduce or add to your preference)
A pinch of salt

Dry blend the soaked raw rice and steam for 15 minutes, remove to a bowl and break all the lumps so that you will have lump free flour, let it cool down. Now dry roast whole moong dal until a nice aroma is released from the dal, let it cool down for a while then pulse it the blender once (we are looking for coarse grains not fine nor whole).

Boil the dal with salt and some water to soften it do not add so much of water as we will be using the water for the dough preparation later. Let the dal cool so that easier to work with it, slowly add the cooked dal to the rice flour we have prepared earlier, add sugar and coconut. Mix well and shape it into kozhukattai, steam for 10 minutes or until its completely cooked.

Let the kozhukattai cooled before serving, now our Mong Dal Kozhukattai is ready to be served. Do try and let me know how was it!

Coconut Candy

It's something special, but is it love? Its hard for some people to call it love because of pride and some, perhaps, even reject the feelings. What ever it is , love is in the air when he gives you butterflies in your tummy by just being in your thoughts or makes your heart thump as if you've just run a 100 m dash when he's near you. Some don't even feel love at first, until an argument or risk of break-up comes into picture and 'hate' soon blooms into romance. Others misunderstand friendship, lust or even infatuation as 'love' but love is so pure and honest and it doesn't need material assurance to ignite it. Don't rush into anything and take it slow and steady so that love will last till the end.

You must be thinking what am I blabbering here, hey but its Valentines Day and I'm so in love, no matter its V-Day or not. It has been 13 years, I have been swimming in the sea of love, for some one who have been very strict and fierce, love has changed me to who I am today. I thank God for sending me the guardian angel to care and love me my whole life, okay I better stop here. I can talk and talk and talk non-stop when it comes to love, let me bring you to the recipe today.

Today's special recipe is Coconut Candy, I have made this for the first time in my life for my beloved husband to celebrate V-Day. This candy is one of his favorite, but knowing me, I'm someone who don't fancy sweet stuffs and always very health conscious he never asked me to make for him. But it's not fair isn't it, once in a while its okay to have. Now let us see how to make this;

Ingredients:
2 2/3 cup of shredded coconut (only white part)
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of evaporated milk
1/2 cup of condensed milk
2 tbsp ghee/butter
2 tsp of rose extract
Few drops of red/pink food coloring
A pinch of salt

In a non-stick pan, melt ghee/butter and add coconut fry for a couple of minutes over medium flame, now add sugar, evaporated milk, condensed milk, rose extract, red coloring and salt. Stir everything continuously, do not leave the mixture without stirring constantly because it will be easily burnt. Stir until the mixture clumps together and almost dry.

Pour the mixture on a square cake mould and let it cool down, now cut into small squares and place it in the fridge overnight. The next day, remove from fridge and place the squares in air-tight containers in the fridge, it can be kept up to a month (if you don't finished it immediately :) ) Now our Coconut Candy is ready to be served.

Do try and let me know how it turned out!

Guest Post by Divya Pramil: Milk Burfi

2013 is the year full of wonderful celebration one after another, I'm extending my Christmas and New Year celebration with another guest post from a dearest friend Divya Pramil. I'm very sure she does not need further introduction as many of you would have visited her space You Too Can Cook  at least once. If you ask me why do I love her space, there are many things to compliment first of all her photography skills then would be her wonderful anyone can try recipes with detailed step by step pictorials and when you visit her blog you feel so welcomed. I wouldn't want to waste blabbering any more and would like to welcome Divya Pramil to share her recipe. Thank you so much Divya for sharing such a yummy recipe with us...

Hello dear friends am so glad to do this guest post for Arthy. This is my 7th guest post and am glad to share this with her space. Thanks for the opportunity Arthy. It is my pleasure to do a guest post for you. Thanks for inviting me and honoring me as your guest.

Coming to the recipe, this milk burfi is a very easy and quick recipe, prepared with just maida (all purpose flour) and milk powder. It tastes really good and the most notable thing is it can be prepared in just few minutes, also I have used very little ghee or butter to make these delectable burfis. Nuts nor any kind of rich ingredients aren't needed, but still these burfis taste excellent and rich. I love adding some chocolate strains to these burfis to make it look delectable, but its upto your choice, you can use any kind of cake or cookie sprinkles or nuts or just leave plain. You can add more ghee or butter and make it more smooth and richer but its according to your wish. Take care to follow the steps carefully to avoid any mishaps. The first time I tried these I burnt my milk powder mixture, I just got diverted and was indulging in some other work and it all worsened in just few seconds, so do this only when you are not going to get diverted. But it is the easiest and quickest way to prepare burfis, also you will love its flavor so much. This was one among the edible Christmas gifts I made for my neighbors. You can make this for your loved ones or for surprise guests. Am sure they'll love it.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 20 burfis 

Total Preparation Time - 10 minutes

1. Milk powder - 70 grams 
2. Maida / All purpose flour - 30 grams 
3. Cardamom powder - 1/4 spoon 
4. Butter / Ghee - 2 spoons 
5. Milk - 4 to 5 spoons 
6. Cake sprinkles (Optional) 

PREPARATION METHOD

• Place a pan on flame, add maida and cardamom powder to it and slightly roast on low flame for a minute or until you get a nice aroma (color change not needed). Set aside until it cools. 
• Mix this roasted maida (see that it is not hot), and milk powder and sieve set aside. Do not keep the milk powder outside for a long time, it will solidify soon. Milk powder has sugar in it, but in case the milk powder is not sugary you can add some powdered sugar to it. 
• Place a pan on flame and add butter / ghee to it, as soon as it melts add the mixture and stir well. Do not keep idle, the mixture will get burnt in just few seconds. 

After a few minutes add 2 spoons of milk and stir well. It will form clumps as shown in the pic. 

Remove from flame, transfer to a plate and mix well into a single dough after it slightly cools down. Sprinkle the remaining milk and knead well so that it softens well. You must be able to make a ball of it. 

Now roll the dough using a rolling pin into 1 inch thickness, sprinkle some chocolate strains or any sprinklers of your choice (optional) and roll again then, cut shapes using a cookie cutter. or just roll into balls. 

Serve!!

TIP 1: You can avoid cardamom powder it will taste like milk sweet without its flavor. 

TIP 2: Add more ghee or butter if you wish. It changes the texture and makes the burfis more smoother. But is turns even more calorific. 

TIP 3: Keep stirring to avoid the milk powder mixture from getting burnt. It takes just few minutes to get cooked. 

Quick, delicious burfis are now ready!! Serve or gift pack them to your loved ones!! 

Less-sweet Dates Kesari

Ingredients:

1 cup of slightly roasted semolina
1/2 cup of coconut milk
2 tbsp of ghee
2 tbsp of chopped dates
2 tbsp of broken cashew nuts
1 tbsp of yellow raisins
2 drops of yellow coloring
1/2 cup of sugar
A pinch of salt
1 cup of water

Fry cashew nuts and raisins in ghee and keep aside.

In another pan, boil water once boiled add in coconut milk, yellow coloring, sugar, salt and mix well to dissolve the sugar. Do not boil once coconut milk is added, now slowly add in the roasted semolina mix well. 

Add in chopped dates, cashew nuts and raisins incorporate well with the semolina, add in 1 tbsp of ghee before serving the kesari to give a good shine.

Now our Less-sweet Dates Kesari is ready to be served, do try and let me know how was it!

Ennailappam/ Nei appam

This is a dish loved by all my family members and also people who visit us during this day. I would like to share our family recipe with you all today. Lets check out the recipe;

Ingredients:

3 cups uncooked rice (soaked 4 to 6 hours)

600g of palm sugar (mix with water and strain)

Half coconut flesh (cut small)

Enough water to mix the batter

Salt to taste

Drain the soaked rice and dry blend and strain to get fine flour, keep the coarse grains for use later. Mix the palm sugar that have been soaked and strained with the rice flour and 2 tbsp of coarse grains. Add salt to the above mixture with some water to get thick batter consistency. Keep this mixture overnight covered.

This is how the coconut flesh supposed to be cut

The next day add coconut flesh to the mixture and fry in deep hot oil to get appam like this.

Brown Sugar Kesari

This is the last dish I made for Navrathri, Brown Sugar Kesari. I always prefer to use soft brown sugar for cooking as it gives better taste compared to white sugar. Brown sugar is less sweet compared to white sugar meaning 1 cup of white sugar is equal to 2 cups of brown sugar, that's how I would compare the sweetness of both these sugar. So I usually use only half cup or 1 cup of brown sugar to substitute for white sugar to bring down the sweetness.

Okay now let's go to the recipe now;

Ingredients:

1 cup of sooji/ semolina
10 pcs cashewnuts
10 pcs yellow raisin
1/2 cup of coconut milk (thick)
1/4 cup of brown sugar
Few drops of yellow coloring
1 cup of water
2 tbsp of ghee

In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of ghee and fry cashews and raisin then add water and let it boil, then add brown sugar and salt. Turn flame to low and pour in coconut milk and let it simmer for about 2 minutes don't let it over boil as it will give oily taste.

Now add in  yellow coloring and sooji slowly, constantly stirring  to avoid clumping. Mix everything well, finally add in balance ghee and mix well. Place Kesari mixture in any mould or tray then cut into desired shapes and serve.

Now our Brown Sugar Kesari is ready to be served. Do try and let me know how was it.

Do join my event Halloween Recipes 2012

My 100th Post and a Give Away

Its a happy day for me as I'm celebrating my 100th Post, 100th likes and 10000 views of my blog, very nice numbers for my blog and me. Come let's celebrate together with me, by sending in your recipe for Halloween 2012, it could be any dish you wish to link to this page. Rules are very simple, you can cook;

1.Any vegetarian or non- vegetarian  Halloween dishes.

2.Usage of Logo is a must and do link the post to my blog.

3.This event is open to everyone but give away is only for friends who are staying in Malaysia,
   Singapore and India.

4.ONE winner for each country will be randomly chosen and their gifts will be sent out by courier,
   don't worry you are ensured of gifts that you can use for your cooking.

5.You have to like my page in Facebook, be my follower and leave your comment when you are done
    by stating which country you are from.

6.You can send as many recipes as you wish and winners will be announced on 24th November 2012.

Halloween Recipes 2012

Now let's go to my dish today Pottukadalai Urundai/ Roasted Gram Sweet Balls

This is a very simple sweet I made for Navratri but didn't have time to post it, so I'm sharing with you all today. I have tasted this many years back when my mom made it and after that I didn't make or try it anywhere else. Let's see how I made this;

Ingredients:

1 cup of roasted gram/ pottukadalai

1/4 cup of jaggery/ palm sugar

1 cup of water

A pinch of salt

Bring to a boil jaggery, water and salt

Wait until the mixture bubbles

Let the mixture thickens and form 1 string concentration

Add pottukadalai and mix well

See how the jaggery coating the pottukadalai

Let the mixture cool for few minutes and roll into small bite size balls

Now our Pottukadalai Urundai is ready to be served, do try and let me know how it turned out!